I Became A Hidden Powerhouse Of The British Empire [EN]: Chapter 110

Became a Hidden Tycoon of the British Empire 110

The Apostle of Justice

It was a sunny morning in 1841.

James, having returned from an urgent business trip to the United States, felt a sense of peace seeing London again.

“There’s no place like home,” he thought, “and after a long journey, everything here feels welcoming.”

Even the Thames River’s sewage, notoriously toxic – said to be fatal to the touch – looked almost appealing to him now.

He had already planned his time in London.

He would take a leisurely vacation at home for at least three months, doing absolutely nothing.

Looking back, his schedule had been incredibly hectic.

He had established a detective agency in place of Killian and grown it into the best organization in England.

Furthermore, he had capitalized on the Great Depression in the United States to acquire American coal companies, locomotive companies, and even giant British coal companies several years prior.

Killian’s insights were almost like predicting the future, and James, in his business dealings, had thoroughly enjoyed his work.

How could he not, when money seemed to duplicate itself simply by following instructions?

But what could he say?

As he continued, he felt like he was sinking into a swamp with no escape.

Just when he felt he had achieved something, new tasks were constantly thrown at him, leaving him no time to rest.

That was especially true when Killian went to Qing China.

James had thought he simply had to manage the business and increase its size in Killian’s absence, but then he was suddenly told to go to the New World and collect data on the potato blight [a disease that destroys potato crops]?

At first, he thought his young master had finally lost his mind.

But absurdly, the potato blight actually existed, and its spread would seriously harm farmers.

Not stopping there, Killian also ordered Guinness in Ireland to collaborate and build breweries in Canada and the United States.

And he told him to expand the detective agency to the United States as well?

The United States was a gold mine where a detective agency could make a fortune.

Of course, Killian, as always, didn’t just make demands without support.

He provided the best person to take charge of the United States: Alan Pinkerton from Scotland.

Killian’s eye for talent was indeed sharp; he recommended Pinkerton as one of the most outstanding talents in the detective agency.

With the British Detective Agency’s vast funds and excellent organization, the new detective agency in the United States would grow into a dominant force within five years.

In fact, security in the United States was much worse than in England, allowing armed private detectives to operate more freely.

In other words, it was profitable.

His young master Killian was undoubtedly trying to rake in money again in the United States and expand his kingdom.

Anyway, that was that. He should rest comfortably in London for a while and soothe his overworked body.

He had so much money he didn’t know what to do with it, and he was planning a luxurious vacation surrounded by top-class whiskey, delicacies, and beautiful women in a secluded resort…

“James, there’s one more thing I need you to do this time.”

“Oh…”

His luxurious vacation plan was shattered by the devil’s call as soon as he returned to London.

“Dear young master, I just got back from a trip to America.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not telling you to go back to the New World right now. This time, a prominent congressman from the United States is visiting, so approach him as a benevolent supporter and push him hard.”

“I’ve done this a lot. That’s my specialty. I should vent my pent-up frustration on him now.”

Approach politicians, pretend to be a like-minded supporter, shower them with money, and gather useful dirt on them.

It was a method Killian often used, so familiar it was like breathing.

He didn’t know who the poor sucker from the United States was, but he’d be a puppet dancing in the palm of that cruel young master.

“But this time, the target is a real big shot. You’ll have to put in a lot more effort than ever before. And you have to help him achieve what he really wants to achieve.”

“Yes? Aren’t we just using him?”

“It’s also beneficial for me if his beliefs are achieved. So you have to make him trust you, but he’s been in politics for so long, it won’t be easy.”

He wondered who he had to win over for Killian to react like that, but when he heard the target’s name, he immediately understood.

John Quincy Adams. He had risen to the position of president in the United States, and even after his retirement, he remained a prominent figure in the United States House of Representatives.

“Can I just build a friendly relationship with him and support him strongly? What kind of character should I adopt when approaching Congressman Adams this time?”

“That’s the key to this plan. From now on, you’re going to be a conscientious businessman who has devoted his life to the black civil rights movement.”

“Yes, yes. The black civil rights movement… what? Devote my life to what?”

“Slavery is a terrible barbarism that goes against human civilization and intelligence, and it must be abolished! This is the absolute belief that you must now hold in your heart.”

What was this all about?

His brain momentarily rejected the information, which far exceeded his understanding.

So, from now on, he was going to be a human rights activist who rolled up his sleeves to abolish black slavery in the United States?

“Do I have to change my job from businessman to slave liberation activist now?”

“I can’t help it. To gain Congressman Adams’ trust, you have to delve into that. It will be an unspeakable benefit to my plan.”

“I didn’t know you were so heartbroken by the plight of black people. I didn’t know the abolition of slavery would be such a benefit.”

“No, I mean it’s a real benefit, not an emotional one. After all, a garbage system like slavery can’t last that long. So I have to pursue my own interests while also upholding humanitarian values.”

James smiled at Killian’s typical response; that was the young master’s true nature.

He didn’t know what benefits abolishing slavery would bring to Killian, a British Empire minister, but as always, he’d naturally understand in time.

Anyway, he didn’t have the option of refusing, so what was the point of complaining?

It was better for his mental health to just relax, enjoy, and watch how Killian’s intentions were achieved.

“I understand. Then, from now on, I, James, will become a fighter who risks his life for the human rights of black people.”

“Good. But Adams is the opponent, so if you show any clumsiness, it will be obvious that it’s a lie. From now on, I’ll be attached to you one-on-one and raise your human rights sensitivity, so let’s learn well with the mindset of being reborn.”

“Hoo… I understand.”

“Good. Then write it down.”

“I have a dream.”

“I have a dream that one day the United States will accept it as a self-evident truth that all men are created equal.”

But while writing down the impressive phrases Killian was dictating, he suddenly had a question.

Which would come sooner: the day when slavery was abolished in the United States, or the day when his vacation, which always seemed to be just out of reach, would finally arrive?

‘I have a dream. I have a dream that one day the young master will actually give me a year’s vacation.’

Oh, all of a sudden, he felt like the humanity hidden inside him was springing up and his empathy was improving.

He felt like he could sincerely feel compassion for the poor people who were being exploited as slaves right now.

It was all thanks to the young master.

* * *

James, who had digested my special training for about a week at a rapid pace, had now completed his transformation into a perfect guardian of human rights.

To be honest, there were times when I was surprised.

He showed such perfect emotional acting that he even shed tears when he denounced the harsh working conditions of the slaves.

Wow, as the saying goes, if a dog in a village school recites poetry for three years, his skills must have improved because he’s been acting so often [a Korean proverb meaning that even someone with little talent can improve with enough practice]?

At this level, even Adams would have no choice but to believe that James was originally sincere about abolishing slavery.

In fact, even when I first introduced James, he was dubious, but every time James answered the question fluently, he seemed to trust me a little bit more.

“Heo… so you’ve been very successful in business not only in the British Empire but also in the United States?”

“Yes. It was my judgment that the United States would never be broken by a mere economic recession, so at that time, I boldly acquired companies engaged in coal mining and locomotive manufacturing. And I continued to make aggressive investments, and thanks to that, the results are now coming out.”

“That’s right. The United States may still be economically lacking compared to the British Empire, but the United States also has endless potential. It won’t fall with just one economic recession. A wise man knows how to make money, so you deserve to take that wealth.
But why is someone who has made so much money so passionate about abolishing slavery?”

“That’s because it’s the right thing to do. Not all capitalists are heartless individuals who have sold their souls for money. Rather, I believe that those who have made a lot of money should bear that much responsibility to society. Why can I accumulate more wealth and live more comfortably than the prominent nobles who inherited their family’s wealth? That’s because this society has blossomed with two flowers: capitalism and meritocracy [a system where advancement is based on individual ability or achievement], breaking away from the barbaric era of the past.”

“Are you saying that you have accumulated great wealth thanks to the progress of society, so you want to help the society progress further? That’s a famous sentiment that money-crazed businessmen should keep in mind.”

At a time when the term corporate social responsibility was still 150 years away from emerging, James’s words could only be regarded as nonsense to most entrepreneurs.

But wouldn’t there be no words that sound more attractive to politicians who want to be sponsored by entrepreneurs and use them as they please?

“I have always been amazed by the enormous potential of the United States while visiting the United States several times for business. However, that’s only limited to the North, and the situation changes when you go to the South. The horrors of slavery, which can no longer be seen in the British Empire, felt like a huge obstacle to the progress of the United States. And that means that the growth of my business will inevitably stagnate. Since then, I have begun to study whether slavery is really right and why slavery is still in existence in the United States. And the conclusion is that this product of the old era should disappear.”

“I agree. But there are still so many obstacles to overcome to get there. The complex interests are so intertwined that it has become impossible to unravel them. You may know, but the South absolutely does not want to abolish slavery, and even the judges of the court have a strong influence there.”

“I know. That’s why such an absurd trial as the Amistad case took place.”

“…Do you know about that case? There was a lot of controversy in the country, but the verdict was issued earlier this year, so it may have been difficult for people in the British Empire to know… It seems that your interest in this issue was sincere.”
The Amistad case was a case in which a Spanish slave ship sailing off the coast of Cuba was seized in the United States and brought to trial.

At the time, the slave ship was in a state of being occupied by black slaves who had revolted, killing the captain, so the Spanish government requested the US government to return the slaves immediately, saying that the slaves were the property of Spain.

However, those slaves were illegally kidnapped by Portuguese slave traders, so legally, their freedom should have been guaranteed, but at the time, the United States could not help but consider the public opinion of Spain and the South, which supported slavery.

Even the Supreme Court justices were from the South, who supported slavery, so it was expected that a decision would be made to return the slaves to Spain, but Adams’ active defense and the speech of the century eventually sided with the slaves.

Adams was very proud of this trial, and it was an achievement worth celebrating.

And he couldn’t help but feel excited when people from the British Empire across the Atlantic praised it.

I also decided to say a word here and praise Adams to the fullest.

“I also respect Congressman Adams’ decision to struggle to protect the values of humanity, even if it means confronting the president head-on.”

“Haha, respect. Minister, you are praising this old man too much.”

“No. Thanks to you, the United States has been able to take a meaningful step in history.”

Adams said at the time that if he had to go the path of justice, he would have to endure even a civil war, but he probably never imagined that it would actually happen.

But the fact remains that, contrary to his intentions, the trial caused a serious division of public opinion between the North and the South.

Even now, the US Congress was still in the midst of a war of words between Southern and Northern lawmakers over the outcome of the trial.

“I never imagined that I would hear such an encouraging story from across the Atlantic. As expected, you are the minister of a country that abolished slavery early on, so you have a broad perspective. Hahaha.”

“That’s why James here says he really wants to help Congressman Adams. If it’s helpful to you, I’ll get detailed data from my country on what arguments the opposition made when abolishing slavery and how they were refuted.”
The conflict over slavery was bound to explode anyway, so it didn’t matter when it happened?

There’s a saying that it’s better to be hit first [a saying that suggests facing a problem head-on rather than avoiding it].

Of course, I’ll have to see if it’s really better to be hit first.